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Tāwharau Ora - School of Veterinary Science BVSc Student Code of Conduct , Tikanga Whanonga Ngaio

The trust people place in veterinarians carries considerable responsibility and expectations regarding your behaviour. You must be aware of these responsibilities and expectations from the beginning of your BVSc ('veterinary') training, as any breach of these expectations could result in serious repercussions for you, your education and your later career. Massey University is committed to supporting you to uphold this Veterinary Student Code of Conduct and to assist you throughout your studies. We encourage you to know where and how to access available support services.

You should think of yourself as a veterinarian-in-training rather than as a student in theoretical studies. Though your involvement with animals, clients and the wider community may initially be limited, from now on, you will meet people as part of your education as a veterinarian. Whenever you meet people in this capacity, you represent Tāwharau Ora – the School of Veterinary Science and the veterinary profession. Your behaviour, both within and outside the university environment, including your personal life, may impact your fitness to practise. Your behaviour should justify the trust the public places in the veterinary profession. The following principles, therefore, apply right from the start.

Notes:

  1. This code applies to all Massey University BVSc students whether in New Zealand or overseas.
  2. The term ‘will’ indicates that the associated statement sets a minimum standard expected of all veterinary students.
  3. These standards apply to all forms of communication (eg digital, verbal and written).

A. Interactions with animals and their owners 

1, Respecting animals and their owners

As a veterinary student, I will:

  1. Respect the dignity, autonomy, needs and values of clients and treat them considerately.
  2. Maintain the welfare of animals and clients.
  3. Understand my values and beliefs, and manage their possible influence on my interactions with animals and their owners to maintain a neutral viewpoint.
  4. Be inclusive of all people irrespective of their age, gender identity, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion, political affiliation, socioeconomic position, cognitive function, or physical or mental health.
  5. Ensure my appearance and dress are appropriate to enable effective and respectful interaction with clients whilst providing effective protection to maintain hygiene and biosecurity (particularly from zoonotic diseases).

2, Maintaining client confidentiality

As a part of your learning, you will have privileged access to client and animal information which you must keep confidential. Disclosure without clients’ permission or other legally acceptable justification is not permitted and can potentially cause harm.

Client and animal information may be discussed with peers and professional staff directly involved in the care of that animal, and on occasion, with colleagues in a setting where confidentiality is protected.

As a veterinary student, I will:

  1. Hold all animal and client information in confidence, including after treatment of an animal has ended or they have died.
  2. Respect clients’ rights to determine who should be provided with their personal information.
  3. Not share animal and client information on social media or publicly available platforms.
  4. Not access animal information unless I am involved in their care or have a legitimate reason and permission from those authorised to give such permission.
  5. Not remove or copy animal- or client-related material without specific permission.
  6. Ensure that all my documents or media containing animal or client information are de-identified, kept in a secure place that prevents unauthorised access, and securely destroyed when no longer required.
  7. Seek advice from a senior clinical supervisor or senior academic when I think it may be appropriate to breach confidentiality (eg when animal or human welfare is at risk).

3, Obtaining informed consent

While your clinical supervisor is responsible for obtaining consent for your interaction with animals, you may still need to ask owners for their permission to interact with them and their animals.

As a veterinary student, I will:

  1. Inform clients of my role and the purpose and nature of any proposed interaction with them.
  2. Ask clients if they have any questions, and if I cannot answer them or it would be inappropriate for me to answer them, refer them to my clinical supervisor.
  3. Check clients are satisfied with the information and ensure consent is given freely and without coercion.
  4. Make every effort to assist the client in reaching the necessary level of understanding.

4, Appreciating the limits of my role

As a veterinary student, I will:

  1. Recognise the level of my skills, experience and knowledge, and not represent myself as more competent or qualified than I am and correct any such misunderstandings that arise.
  2. Not give assistance, advice or provide information to clients, family members or the general public, which is beyond my knowledge and expertise, and direct that person to an appropriate professional if asked for such a comment.
  3. Not initiate any form of treatment, except first aid in an emergency where no one more able or qualified is available to provide timely intervention.

B. Interactions with others 

5, Maintaining personal wellbeing

As a veterinary student, I will:

  1. Acknowledge that my physical and mental health impacts my ability to function in my role as a veterinary student. In the event of illness or impairment that interferes with this role, I will seek appropriate assistance and notify a staff member.
  2. Maintain my wellbeing to the best of my ability to enable me to carry out my role.
  3. Be aware of the wellbeing of my peers, and to the extent that I can, support them to seek help when needed.

6, Respecting staff and colleagues

As a veterinary student, I will:

  1. Show respect to all people I interact with in my role as a veterinary student.
  2. Not exploit my peers, or others, in a vulnerable or more junior position to myself.
  3. Hold in confidence information about my peers, but recognise there are circumstances in which breaches of confidentiality to appropriate persons may be justified (eg circumstances that negatively impact animal or human health or welfare). In that instance I will seek advice from a staff member.

C. Commitment to professional standards and continuous self-improvement  

7, Holding a positive attitude to learning

As a veterinary student, I will:

  1. Take responsibility for my learning as a veterinarian in training.
  2. Commit to continued learning and the development of skills by actively engaging with educational and clinical opportunities.
  3. Show respect when working with all learning resources (eg models, cadavers and animal tissue).
  4. Be prepared to seek and respond to constructive feedback on my performance.
  5. Identify where barriers to learning exist and discuss these with a staff member.
  6. Work collaboratively and respectfully with my peers in all situations.
  7. Provide constructive feedback on my peers' performance when requested.
  8. Act with integrity in all learning and assessment situations.
  9. Abide by the University's academic integrity policies.

8, Accepting wider professional responsibilities

Veterinarians are responsible to the profession and the public to maintain high standards of care; this wider responsibility is over and above individual responsibility for their own clinical competence.

As a veterinary student, I will:

  1. Discuss matters of serious concern, (eg those which may impact animal or human safety or welfare) with a staff member.
  2. Not use social media or public forums to raise concerns about an individual.
  3. Not exploit my role as a veterinary student for personal gain.
  4. Provide constructive feedback on the veterinary education programme, when appropriate.
  5. Be aware that alcohol and substance misuse may impact health and fitness to practise and cross the boundaries of legality, becoming a professional conduct issue.

9, Researching ethically

As a veterinary student undertaking or associated with research activities, I will:

  1. Adhere to the codes of ethical conduct for human and animal research at Massey University.